In 2018, Barstool signed a deal with Sirius radio to bring their brand to the airways. Two years later, Founder Dave Portnoy isn’t so thrilled with their current arrangement. After learning about Howard Stearn’s new contract with Sirius, Portnoy has now threatened to pull Barstool off the radio.
Stern has finalized a contract that’s could pay him upwards of $120 million a year. It’s unclear how much Barstool is getting, but given Portnoy’s tweet, it’s obvious they’re not even in the same stratosphere. Portnoy likely has a right to be upset.
It’s also unclear if this is a negotiating tactic or if Portnoy actually will pull his company from Sirius. I’m not sure if there’s even another Satellite radio company that exists or is big enough to give Portnoy the contract he’s looking for.
Portnoy is also right about one thing. His bloodthirsty followers are loyal. Hell, he started a Day Trading Company from a bunker that thousands of people watched during the quarantine. Even crazier, thousands of people watched Portnoy open boxes that his fans sent him in numerous events called “the unboxing.”
Several high profile Barstool employees appear on Sirius XM Radio. This link takes you to the current schedule on Barstool Channel 85. Some of the more high profile shows include Barstool Breakfast, The Yak, CCK, and Picks Central.
Barstool is the wild west. There’s always memorable stories or departures. It remains to be seen what Dave Portnoy is planning, but I’m sure it will be noteworthy. The only clear thing is that after Penn National Gaming invested in Barstool, he has a lot more leverage and deserves a bigger check from Sirius.
